title: Comparison of waiting and consultation times in convenient care clinics and physician offices: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: This study measures waiting times and consultation times at convenient care clinics (CCCs), and compares them with equivalent times in traditional, family practice, physician offices. The analysis was limited to conditions most commonly treated at CCCs. It was found that patients using CCCs had significantly shorter waiting times from check-in to seeing a clinician than the equivalent waiting times reported by patients at family practice physicians' offices and that CCC patients had significantly longer consultation times with the clinician than those reported by family practice patients. Applying a correction factor to adjust for potential differences between real waiting times and perceived waiting times did not substantially alter the conclusions. Shorter waiting times may increase satisfaction and thereby encourage patients to seek care; and spending additional time with the clinician may help ensure that all of a patient's concerns or questions are addressed. This study provides objective evidence from a large database that CCCs provide prompt, satisfying care.
authors.affiliation: Walgreen Co., Deerfield, IL 60015, USA. avinash.patwardhan@walgreens.com
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patwardhan
authors.forename: Jeffery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Sandra Festa
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010824:Physicians' Offices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists
keywords: appointments and schedules; community health centers; office visits; patient satisfaction; physicians’ offices; primary health care